Lies of P: Overture Review
If you've played any number of "Soulslike" RPGs, chances are you'e noticed a sort-of trend, where the DLCs regularly end up being the best parts of their respective games once they launch. That being the case, I'm not surprised that Lies of P: Overture is Round8 Studio's Pinnochio retelling at its finest. Throughout the DLC's 10 to 15 hour runtime, Overture adds and enhances what was already great game, and turns it into something truly special.
When it comes to Soulslikes, I find there's a trifecta of important elements I'm always looking for; level design, boss design, and weapon design. Lies of P already had great bosses and weapons, and decent levels, but Overture feels like a notable step-up for all 3. Levels are more open, and players traverse them in interesting ways. A research facility tasks players with dipping in and out of patient holding cells, making use of ladders, holes in the ground and elevators. Grates on the floor offering hints of paths players can eventually tread. Krat Zoo, the opening act, offers a sort of fidelity and variety that we never really saw in the basegame. The same holds true for much of the expansion.
If level design was maybe my one complaint with Lies of P, Overture turns that complaint on its head and proves to me that Round8 well and truly understands how to craft engaging Soulslike levels. The only wrinkle that holds things back is enemy variety; while the DLC does come with a healthy selection of new enemies to tackle, it probably could've used at least 1 or 2 more enemies to keep things fresh. This might be less of a problem if you're revisitng the game, but I had just completed a playthrough less than a month before tackling Overture. Enemy variety isn't bad by enemy means; new puppets, corpses and alchemists to fight are quite welcome. Consider it a nitpick; it's not a real problem, but rather the one aspect that stood out.
As for bosses; they're excellent, no notes. A few boss enemies from the basegame do return as optional minibosses, but the headliners are all brand new, and the DLC does an excellent job to give them the spectacle to match the DLC's overall importance to Lies of P's story as a whole. I had the chance to tackle about half the DLC's bosses during the preview event, and everything I said about them then remains true now. The DLC's final boss in particular is a proper standout, and the lead-up to the encounter is by and far my favorite moment of the game now that it's all said and done. The weapons players can receive as boss weapons, similarly, rule.
Special props go out to the DLC's new Gunblade weapon. Its moveset is incredible; the way its Fable Arts tie into it the cherry on top. The weapon players receive from clearing the DLC is absurdly broken; a problem if the game had PvP, but thankfully it doesn't so having essentially a screen nuke at your disposal is an awesome reward. Even still, it's not like it will trivialize matters on later NG+ difficulties. Other weapons like a lance that acts as a flamethrower, claws that let you tear through enemies in quick succession and more feel equally unique. Some synergize especially well with new amulets, such as one that boosts your damage upon successfully dodging an attack. It should be interesting to see how replays of the game will now go between the new weapons, the new amulets and even additional buffs available through the P-Organ shortly after entering the DLC.
While I played through the DLC on the first playthrough on the original difficulty, it's nice to see more difficulty options alongside of a slew of quality-of-life features added to the game. Underneath your accumulated Ergo, there's now a bar that showcases how close you are to having enough to afford a level up at a Stargazer; boss rematches and the ability to tackle multiple of these rematches in a row is neat to see, especially with how many of Overture's bosses are just begging for a rematch.
By far the biggest upgrade Lies of P has received with Overture, funnily enough, is the story. I'd already enjoyed the basegame's story well enough, but Overture has it front and center. I wouldn't say that the game's narrative felt incomplete before, but the extra little pieces to the puzzle Overture provides helps things click just a little bit more - whether that be through lore notes, character dialog, or actual cutscenes. The ripples your actions in the past have on the present are all very welcome; even something as small as being able to teach your new gestures to the puppet in the swamp, or questlines that span across time to complete.
I'm of the opinion that the best expansions are ones that don't just offer a new slice of a game you already love to play, but enhance what was already there. Lies of P: Overture isn't just great in its own right, but it showcases the growth that Round8 has seen over the course of developing the game. Lies of P was already great, and well worth your attention. What Overture succeeds most at isn't just offering more of what players already loved, but perhaps giving us a sneak peek at what players can expect from the studio in the future. Lies of P: Overture feels like a bold, yet simple, statement; we're only just getting started with Lies of P. I can't wait to see what the team has in store for us next.